A "menace" motorist tasered by police after a chase on a Swanley housing estate had been banned from the road on a staggering 12 previous occasions, a court heard.

The pursuit of self-employed car trader Kevin Capon at the wheel of his Audi A4 convertible in March meant he clocked up his 13th offence of driving while disqualified.

It also marked the second offence of dangerous driving for the 49-year-old, who also has two convictions for careless driving and once failed to stop after an accident on the M25.

Police used a taser on Capon to stop him

At one stage during the pursuit a patrol car blocked Capon's path, only for him to drive away in reverse, snaking from side to side.

Officers were then forced to twice hit the Audi to bring it to a halt. Capon, however, fled on foot and, following a struggle, police resorted to using their taser guns to restrain him.

But despite facing up to two years behind bars when he appeared before a judge at Maidstone Crown Court - and already serving 12 weeks' imprisonment for other motoring offences - the father-of-four was jailed for eight months.

Due to time already served on remand he could be released within days.

Judge Richard Polden described Capon's driving record as appalling but said there was a lack of aggravating factors, including harm caused to other motorists, pedestrians or property.

The court also heard that the pursuit lasted less than a mile on the White Oak estate.

Judge Polden told him: "It is clear you have an appalling driving record and you are a menace and a danger to legitimate road users.

"But I do take into account that there is an absence of aggravating factors in this case. Nonetheless, your previous driving record is nothing short of deplorable."

Capon's case was heard at Maidstone Crown Court

Capon was also banned from driving for another two years and must take an extended driving test before re-applying for a licence.

He was jailed for three months' concurrent for driving while disqualified and the court ordered the forfeiture of the Audi. No separate penalty was imposed for driving without insurance.

Capon denied two charges of battery against two police officers on the same occasion and this was accepted by the prosecution.

The court heard Capon was spotted by police reversing out of a driveway in Farm Avenue at about 8.30pm on March 6.

The pursuit began when he suddenly accelerated away at speed. It continued towards Lavender Hill and into Brook Road, before Capon pulled out onto London Road without stopping at the junction and forcing another motorist to brake sharply to avoid a collision.

Capon was driving at speeds up to 60mph in 30mph limits and the pursuing patrol car had both its siren and blue lights activated.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said: "The manner of his driving was erratic, with heavy braking around corners, at junctions and around parked vehicles."

Once in London Road Capon slowed down to 20mph, before accelerating away and into Walnut Way, again reaching 60mph.

The court heard the chase continued into Elm Drive and Shurlock Avenue before Capon again slowed down, enabling the patrol car to pull in front and an officer to run towards the Audi.

However, Capon reversed away as the officer grabbed the door handle.

"He wasn't pulled along or injured in any way but that manoeuvre was still dangerous, given the fact he was told to exit by the officer," said Miss Todd.

"The vehicle, now travelling in reverse, sped back into the housing estate. It was snaking from left to right as the driver was alternating between looking at the driver of the police car and over his shoulder while reversing."

Capon headed back towards Walnut Way where the police car then twice hit the Audi "bumper to bumper", added Miss Todd.

Capon revved the engine hard several times and there was a mechanical crunching noise. Unable to drive away he then fled on foot, only to be chased and eventually tasered.

"It is clear you have an appalling driving record and you are a menace and a danger to legitimate road users" - Judge Richard Polden

Capon, who has 31 convictions for 67 offences, made no comment during his police interview. The court heard both vehicles sustained only minor "cosmetic" damage.

Isobel McCarroll, defending, said that although the qualified stonemason had a "very poor" driving record, there was, in this case, a "limited threat" of harm to the public during the pursuit over 0.7 miles.

Capon was jailed for 12 weeks in July this year for seven offences, including speeding, driving while disqualified and careless driving.

In 2012 he failed to stop after an accident on the M25 in Essex, and in March 2009 was convicted of dangerous driving and driving while disqualified after jumping a red light in Bromley and colliding with a bollard.

The court also heard the grandfather was banned from the road when he was involved in another police chase through a housing estate in November 2006.